Pony in the Pile

September 30, 2008

This week’s Interact 2008 conference began upbeat enough, with Ted Leonsis’s inspirational keynote signaling an ‘anything’s possible, mix-and-mashup’ world of opportunity where entrepreneurs can offer (and perhaps find) fulfillment by providing one of the five keys to self-actualization: relationships, community, self-expression, giving back, or pursuing a higher calling. But then, the sky began to darken . . .

1 comment Read the full article →

Transparency and Handling

September 29, 2008

Transparency happens to be the number one search term for this blog. Don’t ask me how it happened. I’ll simply say that I talk about honesty and transparency quite a bit. The reason is that it is the cornerstone for business and brand.

Today at the Interact 2008 conference, AOL founder Ted Leonsis dropped a bomb on a largely communications oriented audience.

Read the full article →

Don’t ask questions, give them answers.

September 29, 2008

I know FCC issues can be complex, and for an “outsider” they can easily be reduced to black and white. But there is a serious lack of in-depth technology policy coverage on the web, good coverage that exposes the many shades of gray and layers in these issues. There is a real need for it, so If you’re going to do it, do it right. That means more than quoting comments, adding some editorializing and posting it. The job of a good reporter or blogger isn’t just to ask tell your readers what the questions are, it is also to FIND THE ANSWERS, or at least to try, in order to get the truth to those readers.

4 comments Read the full article →

Swing State Voter Calendar

September 28, 2008

If you’re in Maryland, as I am, or one of most other states in the Union that are not really in play, then you can keep moving. However, if you are in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico or Nevada (states that are swing states according to Politico’s Swing State Map), then there are some dates you need to be aware of going into October. Notably, you need to know when the last day to register to vote (or change your party, if you’re so inclined) or request an absentee ballot.

4 comments Read the full article →

5 Airlines Bringing Geek Chic

September 26, 2008

Traveling soon? If you’re a geek, you have certain things that are important to you in an airline. They need to be accessible, approachable. Preferably they have wifi or some kind of gadget-sexiness happening. They engage bloggers and go the extra mile to support the new media ecosystem. They understand the economy of favors and that if folks are taken care of, the airlines themselves will be taken care of.

7 comments Read the full article →

Web Video Issue Derails in House

September 26, 2008

A resolution for the House of Representatives to adopt a more relaxed Senate rule on Web video sites was stopped dead in its tracks by House Administration Committee chairman Mike Capuano, D-Mass., during a contentious Thursday hearing.
The proposed resolution, offered by Rep. Vern Ehlers, R-Mich., is similar to positions he articulated in a letter earlier [...]

Read the full article →

Promises Made, Promises Delivered

September 26, 2008

Your customer base expects you to do things. They wouldn’t be your customers if not. They expect you to deliver on what you say you can deliver, and they expect you to do it right now. Think about it. You too are a customer and you expect the same thing.

What happens when a company, a campaign, a spouse makes a promise and doesn’t deliver? What happens to the trust? What happens to that relationship?

1 comment Read the full article →

Buying Digital SLR Cameras

September 25, 2008

I’ve been shooting photography for about 5 months now. I’m not an expert, but I’m learning. I bought a 3 year old Canon Rebel XT on Craigslist from a fine arts student at University of Baltimore. She had taken good care of it and was looking to upgrade to a Canon 5D.
So I bought the [...]

15 comments Read the full article →

Talking about Tubes

September 25, 2008

I do apologize for the infrequency of posts. I expected more to write about.
Now I have no excuse. Starting Friday, there will be a confluence of technology events that will be covered, here and elsewhere.
Friday morning, I’ll be at the Broadband Census for America conference. I’ve written in this space about infrastructure before, and I [...]

Read the full article →

Senate Opens the Door for Web 2.0 Usage

September 25, 2008

Back in July, we covered the story about Congressional use of Twitter and social tools ad nauseum. Frankly, it was an epic story around here – defining in many ways – and has opened the door for other opportunities to be involved in the political and policy discussion around Washington, D.C.

2 comments Read the full article →